IKEA recently instigated a rather unusual experiment to raise awareness about the effects of bullying in schools.
In the UAE, IKEA placed two of their very own plants in a local school, encouraging students to say mean and harsh words to one plant while showering the other with compliments. The installation was meant to promote Anti-Bullying day on May 4 in the UAE.
Students took to the project immediately.
The plants were given the same amount of care, in order to control for as many variables as possible.
Both plants received the same amount of light, water, and fertilizer.
At the end of the 30-day period, the results were dramatic: the bullied plant was drooping and its leaves were brown, while the encouraged plant was thriving.
Basically, students were taught just how damaging words can be on a living thing, and that, even though people don’t have the same visual signifiers as plants (no drooping leaves, etc.), their emotional and mental health are similarly affected by bullying and cruel words.